Paperboard box construction



July 7, 1953 I c. A. STOPPER 5 PAPERBOARD Box CONSTRUCTION (l-IEXAGONAL) Filed Jan, 8-, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ;cnnm.es ASToPPBR Patented July 7, 1953 PAPERBOARD BOX CONSTRUCTION ,(HEXAGONAL) Charles A. Stopper, Camden, N. L, 'assignor, to

Diamond Paper &-Box Company, Philadelphia,

Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Application January 8, 1949, Serial No. 69,917 3 Claims. (01. 229.s7)

The present invention relates generally to boxes and more particularly to such containers as are made from unitary blanks of foldable material.

Among the principal Objects of the present invention is to provide a single blank of relatively stiff material which is so suitably cut, scored and slitted as to enable it to be readily expanded into a box having the shape of a hexagonal prism with access openings .in opposite side walls thereof and a carrying handle at the top thereof.

It is another object of the presentinvention' to provide such a box in "the shape of a hexagonal prism in which a rectangular face of the prism forms the bottom Wall of the box and i which the opposite-hexagonally shaped parallel side walls of the box are each formed of a pair of superimposed panels releasably secured together, each pair of said side wall panels serving not only to rigidify the box but also as a closure for a side opening through which access is had into the interior of the expanded box.

Other objects of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being. understood that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as described more fully hereinafter, as shown inthe accompanying drawings and as defined in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a box as constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the same in its fully expanded.

shape; a Figure 2 is a side View of the box partially as.- sembled;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the shape shown in Figure 5 and in the box It formed of a blank and expanded into the shape of a hexagonal prism, as shown in Figurel. The blank ii! is formed'of any suitable relatively stiff material, such as paperboard or the like, which is foldable along prescribed scoring. lines and which has sufficient rigidity when expanded into box form as to be self-sustaining in its expanded shape. i) r I The angularly related walls a, b, c, d, eand f l of the box are respectively formed from the Gen-- tral longitudinal section of the blank l0 shown in Figure 5, said blank being suitably scored transversely alon lines l2, l3, I4, l5, It and I! to form a plurality of rectangular shaped panels l8, I9, 20, 2|, 22, 23 and 24. The panels aforee said when relatively folded along their transverse score lines form a structure hexagonally shaped in cross-section having walls of similar shape and equal area, the top wall a being formed of the end-most panels 18 and 24' ar-' ranged in superimposed relation and secured together, as at l 00 by adhesive, stitching or the like, while the remaining walls b, c, d, e and f are respectively formed of the panels l9, 2.", 2|, 2 and 23. i a 1 The end panels l8 and 24 comprising the top of box I l' are specially'cut and scored so that portions thereof acting conjointlyform a-handle for the'box when the latter is expanded into shape; Thus, panel 24 is provided at its outer free end with an extension 25 of reduced width, this extension being interiorly slitted along the line 26 to provide a central tab 21. A pair of score lines 23-28 project oppositely from the base line of the tab 21 in parallel relation to the transverse score line I! to provide a hinged connection betweenth'e extension 25 and the panel'24,=the extension 25 being thus adapted to be bent at right angles to the plane of the panel 24 and its integral tab21. In this latter .conditionfthe extension 25 is in'the form of a Ushaped'han-' dle member for the box. 1

Theopp osite end panel I8 of the box blank is interiorly slitted along a pair of spaced lines 29 and 30 to provide a pair of tabs 3! and 32 foldable relatively to the panel l8 about the parallel score lines 33 and 34, the tab 32being disposed interiorly of the area of the tab 3! and adapted to be folded flatwise thereagainst about the fold line 33. When the tab 31 is bent normal to the panel It along the score line 34, it fo1*msa"s'ec-' ond U-Shaped handle member'for the box To 'form the completed handle of the box If; the separate handle members 25 and 3! are each turned, upwardly about their respective fold lines from their flat positions of Figure 5 to pos i tions in-which they are normal to the panels 24. and 18 respectively. The handle member 3|,"

1 when turned upwardly from the panel I18 about the score line 34, provides an opening-35 inthe panel 18 (see Figure 1); through which the u'a" right handle member 25 may project as the panel" members l8 through 24 are angularly' relatedto form the six-sided perimetral surface of'the expanded box II. The tab 21 will then lie beneath the panel I3 with the handle members 25 and 3| in upright juxtaposition, in which con-- dition of the parts the internal tab 32 of the handle member 3| will be in position for folding upwardly against the outer face of the handle member 25. In this connection, it will be noted that when the internal tab 32- is projected through the central opening of the handle member 25 and then folded upwardly about its fold line 33 to overlie the outer face of the handle member 25, the tab 32 serves to interlock the handle members 25 and 3| together in their 511- perposed flatwise relation best shown in Figure 1.

In addition to the central longitudinal section comprising the panels i8 through 24, the blank I0 is also provided with two pairs of laterally extending wing members each of hexagonal shape in outline. One pair oi these wing members, designated 36 and 3 project from opposite sides ofthe panel 253 of the blank, while the second pair thereof, designated 35 and 39, project from opposite sides of the panel 23 of the blank. The wing members 36 and 3? are ioldable normal to the panel 25 along score lines and 44, respectively, while the wing members 38 and 39 are similarly foldable relatively to the panel 23 along the score lines 42 and 43. The wing members 36 and 31 are each provided with a pair of foldable flaps, designated 44-44 for the wing member 36 and 45-45 for the wing member 31, the flaps 44-44 being foldable along the score lines 46-46 and the fiaps'45-45 along the score lines 47-41. The wing members 38 and 39 are each provided with a single flap, designated 48 for member 38 and 49 for member 39, the single flap 48 being foldable along score line 55 and the flap 49 along the score line 5|. It will be noted that the single flaps 48 and 49 are each con nected to the outermost edges of the wing members 38 and 39 and thus occupy an intermediate relation with respect to the flaps 44-44 and 45-45 of the wing members 36 and 31, which latter pairs of flaps are connected to laterally spaced outer edges of their associated wing members; .Preferably, all of the flaps 44, 45, 48 and 49 are of-generally trapezoidal shape.

v The wingmembers 36 and 38 conjointly form one double-paneled sidewall g of the expanded box, while the wing members 3'! and 39 similarly form the double-paneled opposite side wall h of the box. Inasmuch as the wing members are all of identical hexagonal form, the corresponding edges of each superposedpair thereof on either side of the box are disposed in exact registry. The wing members 38 and. '39 are re spectively disposed interiorly of their superposed wing members 38 and 31 and are each provided with a struck-out tongue 54 adapted for insertion through a slit 55 suitably formed in each of the members 35 and 31. It will be noted'that the tongues. 54-54 project from the opposite side edges of the panel 23 of the box and that the slits 55-55 are located adjacent the free edges of the members 36 and 31, in consequence of which said free edges of the latter are detachablyiheld against the perimetral edge .of the box when the box is expanded into shape and the tongues are projected into their receiving slits.

In addition to the side and end walls just described, reinforcing flaps 55-56 and 51-51 are provided in the blank It for the box ll, these flaps extending beyond score lines 58-58 and 53-59v at opposite edges of the blank panels i9 and 2| respectively, the said panels being on opposite sides of the panel 20 forming the botfrom the same unitary piece of material as the rest of the blank I0.

' 'Upon angularly relating the panels I8 through 24 to form the perimetral walls of the hexagonal box I I, further assembly proceeds with the folding of flaps 56-55 and 51-5 into position normal to the panels I9 and 21 and toward the box interior. Thereafter, the single flaps 48 and 49 of the side wall members 38 and 39 are turned normal to said members simultaneously as the latter are brought into parallel relation to respectively close the opposite sides of the hexagonal shell of the box,.the flaps 48 and 49 being then tucked into the box interior to underlie opposite ends of the panel 20 forming the wall 0 of the box. When the side wall inner.members 38 and 39 are thus disposed in parallel relation, they respectively overlie the inturned flaps 56-56 of the panel) and the flaps 51-57 of the panel .21, the flaps 56 and 5? on each side of the box being, of course, disposed in coplanar relation.

To proceed with the assembly, the flaps 44-44 and 45-45of the outer side members 36 and 3'! are bent normal to their fiat positions shown in Figure 5 and then the members 35 and 31 themselves are also bent normal to the panel Y20 and toward the boxinterior, to thereby present said members in parallel relation respectively overlying the inner members 38 and 39. In this position the folded flaps 44-44 and45-45 are adapted to bepositioned 'interiorly of the box,

extending beyond the outer'edges of' the inner and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general prin ciples or real spirit thereof, and it is accord ingly intended to claim the same broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claims. V

What is claimed as newand useful is:

1. An integral blank of foldable sheet material for forming a boxin the shape of a hex-v agonal prism comprising a central body portion of generally rectangular shape transversely scored along spaced parallel lines to provide a plurality of panel sections of equal size .adapted to be angularly related to form the side walls of the box, the opposite endmost panel sections; being adapted for disposition in overlapping relation to conjointly form oneofsaid sidewalls of the box, hexagonal end closure members for the box extending oppositely iromeach of two said panel sections which are spaced from one another by an intermediate pair of panel sections, the. hexagonal end closure members ex.

tending oppositely from one of said side wall panel sections being respectively adapted to overhe the corresponding members extending opjection through the slit aforesaid to releasably j interlock the pair of overlapping members to provide a double-paneled end closure wall for the box.

2. An integral blank of foldable sheet material for forming a box having parallel end walls of polygonal outline comprising a central body portion of generally rectangular shape transversely scored along spaced parallel lines to provide a plurality of panel sections adapted to be angularly related to form the perimetral side walls of the box, a first pair of polygonal end closure members extending oppositely from one of said panel sections, a second pair of polygonal end closure members extending oppositely from another of said panel sections, the panel sections so provided with oppositely extending members being spaced from one another by at least one intervening panel section, the'end closure members of said first pair thereof being respectively adapted to overlie the end closure members of said second pair thereof when the blank is expanded into box shape, each of said first pair of members being provided with flaps foldable along laterally spaced outer edges thereof and each of said second pair of members being provided with a foldable flap along an outer edge thereof intermediate those which are in correspondence with the aforesaid laterally spaced outer edges of the first pair of members, and coacting means respectively provided wholly within the members of said first and second pairs thereof for releasably securing together the overlying end closure members of the expanded box.

3. An integral blank of foldable sheet material for forming a box having parallel end Walls of polygonal outline comprising a central body of said panel sections, a second pair of polygonalend closure members extending oppositely from another of saidpanel sections, the panel sections so provided with oppositely extending members being spaced from one another by at least one intervening panel section, the end closure members of said first pair thereof being respectively adapted to overlie the end closure mem-' bers of said second pair thereof when the blank is expanded into box shape, and coacting means respectively provided wholly within the members of said first and second pairs thereof for releasably securing together the overlying end closure members of the expanded box, said lastmentioned coasting means including a slit formed in each of the second pair of wing members adjacent the outer free edge thereof and a tongue struck out of each of the first pair of wing members adjacent the inner hinged edge'thereof, the tongue of one member being adapted for projection through the slit of the overlying member.-

CHARLES A. STOPPER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France May 3, 1904 

